Israel Strikes Hezbollah Targets as Tourism Crisis in Northern Israel Deepens

January 13, 2025

12:21 PM

Reading time: 4 minutes


In the early hours of Monday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed airstrikes targeting multiple Hezbollah terror sites across Lebanon. The military targeted a rocket launcher, a military facility, and routes along the Syrian-Lebanese border that were used for weapon transfers to the Iranian-backed Hezbollah group.

The IDF stated that the threats posed by these targets to both the Israeli home front and IDF troops had been presented to the monitoring mechanism overseeing ceasefire agreements between Israel and Lebanon. Despite this, the threats remained unaddressed before the military action was carried out.

Hezbollah-affiliated media outlets, including Al-Manar TV and Al-Akhbar newspaper, reported the attacks took place in the southern Lebanon areas of Deir El-Zahrani and Houmine El Faouqa in the Nabatiya region. Other strikes were also reportedly conducted in the Bekaa Valley near the Syrian border, further escalating tensions between Hezbollah and Israel.

Rocket Attack Damages Historic Building in Israel

During a recent barrage of rockets fired from Lebanon towards Israel's Galilee region, one rocket struck the historic Wilkomich Teacher's House in Rosh Pina, located at a site of early Hebrew settlement. The 141-year-old building sustained only minor damage, with a few stones falling from its outer wall. Despite the relatively minor destruction, the site's future remains uncertain due to the ongoing financial strain caused by the war. In 2024, the site saw only 350 visitors, exacerbating its financial difficulties and leading to concerns about its closure.

Tami Schwartz, chairwoman of the Rosh Pina Restoration Site Association, warned that without government support, the site may close within a month. "We’ve been without visitors for over a year, and our funds have run dry," she stated.

The impact of the war is also being felt throughout the Galilee, where tourism has been a key economic engine. Inbar Bezeq, CEO of the Upper Galilee Economic Development Company, stressed the importance of the tourism sector, which employs 12,500 people, or nearly 13% of the workforce in the Eastern Galilee. While local hotels, restaurants, and cafes are reopening, heritage sites like the Rosh Pina restoration site face an uphill battle to stay afloat.

Schwartz emphasized that these sites, which preserve the history of the region’s first settlers, are integral to the cultural and economic fabric of the Galilee. "These sites are the soul of the Galilee," she said. "They add culture, history, and a connection to the past. Can anyone imagine Galilee tourism without them?"

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